Slow Climb

Tate looks pretty good today. His ANC is back up to 8 after dropping to zero yesterday. He got a unit of platelets this morning and Erwinia injections this evening. Tate is still getting a continuous stream of fluids and antibiotics every eight hours.

For the first time in a long time Tate was able to tolerate some bright light. The shade was pulled up a few inches all day. It’s a big deal. Tate has been more comfortable sitting in the dark for a long time. I cannot help but wonder if the fluids are responsible for the decrease in Tate’s pain. He always experiences relief from his headaches when he gets fluids at the clinic. After six straight days of fluids he seems to be doing so much better.

Tate’s friends sent a sign to the hospital. He read every note before we taped it to the wall. Aunt Sara sent balloons. Tate does not watch TV at all and really appreciates having things to look at in his room.

Here’s a rare glimpse of Tate standing. He is very shaky today, especially his hands.

Tate developed a rash this afternoon that has everyone puzzled. It started on the side of his face and has moved to his cheeks. The doctors and nurses are watching it, but they are not worried since it is not causing him pain and he does not seem to be having an allergic reaction to anything obvious.

Tate has been refusing food but tried to eat dinner to avoid having to take appetite stimulants or be considered a candidate for a feeding tube. He asked Greg to pick up a pork and rice dish from a restaurant at the Asian market and ate about half of it. That worked out great for Scott, who arrived hungry and got to eat his own dinner plus the half Tate could not finish.

Greg and I do not think it is likely Tate will get to go home before the weekend. He’s not a Ferrari that can go from zero to 186 in fifteen seconds. (Thank you, Google, for helping me with the metaphor; I really don’t know a darn thing about Ferraris.) A few very good things have happened while we have been here, so I know he’s exactly where he needs to be.